This invention relates to shelving for refrigerators and the like.
As is the nature of articles containing liquid which are stored in a refrigerator or freezer, many such articles are spillable and do spill. Such a spill will typically soak into other items or contaminate other foods in the refrigerated compartment. Extensive clean up efforts are required since the spill will commonly flow down through the compartment from shelf to shelf. Therefore, it is desirable to provide containment measures for limiting the area of such a spill. One such method is a spill resistant shelf, having the purpose of containing a spill to the shelf upon which the spill occurred and precluding the downward flow of the spill through the compartment.
One such spill resistant shelf is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,541, entitled "REFRIGERATOR SHELF AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING" and issued on Jun. 19, 1990 to Bussan et al. therein, a refrigerator shelf is disclosed having a two-piece plastic "picture frame" circumscribing the periphery of a glass plate to provide a spill resistant refrigerator shelf. For liquid spill resistance, a silicone seal should be provided between the upper frame member and the glass plate, as disclosed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,983, entitled "SHELF STRUCTURE" and issued on Jan. 11, 1972 to Whitcomb, the use of a glass shelf member which is framed by spaced parallel side portions, an interconnecting rear portion and a transversely extending portion across the front of the glass is disclosed. The framing front, side and rear portions are specified as being extruded material and having a glass receiving groove for receiving the glass shelf member. However, a liquid tight seal around the perimeter edge of the glass is not provided or suggested. A spill on the shelf, particularly of a liquid, will seep between the glass and the supporting frame and flow down through the compartment.
Another problem common to the above discussed shelf structures still remains. That is, items which are spilled upon such shelves can seep between the glass plate shelf member and the surrounding frame members where it is virtually impossible to remove or otherwise clean. Thus and in spite of the sanitary benefits of using glass, an unsanitary condition can easily develop as food stuffs become trapped between the shelf members and frame members of the above described shelf structures.
Another consideration in designing shelf structures for a refrigerated compartment is the circulation or convection of air through the compartment. It is desirable to provide for some means of circulation in order to maintain a homogeneous temperature distribution and avoid stratification, wherein a range of temperature zones would be experienced in the compartment with the coldest zone at the bottom and the warmest zone at the top. Therefore, one will typically design the shelf structure to include passage spaces at either side of a shelf as well as behind the shelf. This carries with it an inherent deficiency in that it decreases the shelf surface area by the amount of space allowed at either side of and behind the shelf. Further, in situations where a framing structure circumscribes the shelf, such as those discussed above, the width of the frame further reduces the available shelf area.